Advancing AACC's Core Value of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Health Equity

VALUE STATEMENT & WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

It is critical for all persons, not just traditionally marginalized populations, to work in diverse and safe environments. We at AACC therefore strive to remove unjust barriers to healthcare access; nurture compassion for patients; increase scientific knowledge in pursuit of health; and support members to be the best healthcare guardians they can be.

As an organization representing healthcare and scientific professionals, we know all too well that discrimination can be a matter of life and death. We therefore assert that equitable and inclusive treatment—in healthcare and in life—is a universal and basic human right, and we pledge our unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on all patients and the quality of treatment they receive.

In order to uphold this pledge to the fullest extent possible, it is essential for AACC’s staff, members, vendors, and other stakeholders to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. This will enable our members to better meet the needs of the diverse patient populations that they serve around the world.

At the same time, it is important to acknowledge the existence of negative social behaviors that seek to suppress and marginalize certain groups. These behaviors include misinformation, lies, intimidation, deception, and fearmongering and often manifest as subtle microaggressions made under cover of anonymity. Awareness of these negative postures will help us to combat them, and will guide us in our commitment to uphold factual scientific information in the service of health equity.

We believe that fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) will make us a more resilient and innovative organization that encourages multiple and diverse perspectives to flourish. In the end, our focus on DEI makes AACC a better place and puts us in a stronger position to achieve our goals.

COMMONLY USED DEI DEFINITIONS

The purpose of this glossary is to provide a basic framework for and promote dialogue around this important conversation.

View key DEI definitions here.

AACC CORE VALUES AND CONDUCT POLICIES

Review AACC’s Core Values to understand how DEI principles tie in to AACC’s Core Values and Strategic Plan.

AACC is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all who engage in AACC programs and activities. We strive to cultivate a culture of respect and be a model organization—and scientific community—for inclusive practices. To this end, AACC has developed a Code of Conduct that applies across the organization. The code ensures that AACC members, customers, partners, staff, exhibitors, and others, in the course of their engagement in AACC activities and programs, remain free from all forms of harassment and bullying.

AACC will also assess all its programs, policies, decisions, actions, services, processes, and products (current and new) through a DEI lens to ensure alignment with AACC’s Core Value of DEI and Health Equity. Learn more.

Additionally, we have put out the following statements:

• AACC Statement for Racial Equality
• AACC Statement on the Rise in Anti-Asian Violence

RESOURCES

The collection of DEI and health equity materials below includes resources on the history of racism and oppression primarily in the United States. These materials are meant to provide further enrichment and education on anti-racism. This list is not exhaustive and will be updated periodically.

AACC

• AACC Health Equity and Access Division: This AACC division leads the integration, promotion, and advocacy for inclusion and diversity in advancing global science and the practice of laboratory medicine.
• Global Lab Quality Initiative: This program partners with national clinical chemistry societies outside the U.S. to improve the quality of laboratory testing worldwide.
• Videos:
  • Women in Laboratory Medicine: A Panel Discussion on Diversity and Inclusion
  • Becoming an Ally and Advocate: A Panel Discussion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Laboratory Medicine
• Articles:
  • The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine (JALM)
    • Special Issue on Health Disparities
    • The Toll of Preconceived Notions
  • Clinical Chemistry
    • Women in Laboratory Medicine: A Q&A on Diversity and Inclusion
  • Clinical Laboratory News
    • More Scrutiny on the Construct of Race
    • Laboratory Monitoring in Transgender People
    • Bridging the Health Disparities Gap

External Publications

• Dissecting racial bias in an algorithm used to manage the health of populations - Science (sciencemag.org)

Practical Strategies and Resources

• Practical Strategies
  • Diversity and Equity 21 Day Challenge - San Francisco Department of Public Health
  • What Works - Evidence Based Ideas to Increase DEI in the Workplace - University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Unconscious Bias Training - University of California, San Francisco
• Allyship
  • Video: 3 Ways to Be a Better Ally in the Workplace - TED.com / Melinda Epler
  • Guide to Allyship – project by Amelie Lamont
  • Diversity in Fellowship Selection Materials - University of California, San Francisco
    • Selection Evaluation Rubric
• Microaggressions in Healthcare Settings
  • Addressing Microaggressions in Racially Charged Patient-Provider Interactions: A Pilot Randomized Trial - BMC Medical Education
  • Perceived Microaggressions in Health Care: A Measurement Study - PLOS ONE
  • Interrupting Microaggressions in Health Care Settings: A Guide for Teaching Medical Students - Association of American Medical Colleges
  • Microaggressions and Their Macro Impact on Health Care - AAHPM Winter Quarterly newsletter
• Cultural Awareness in Healthcare
  • Cultural Respect - National Institutes of Health Office of Communications
  • Cultural Awareness in Healthcare: A Checklist - Quality Interactions
• Opinions and Perspectives
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that Matter - New England Journal of Medicine
  • Podcast: The Nocturnists: Black Voices in Healthcare - The Nocturnists
  • The Origin of the Term Intersectionality - Columbia Journalism Review

QUESTIONS & FEEDBACK

If you have questions about AACC’s DEI initiatives or resource suggestions, please contact [email protected].